Earlier this month, employees at a New York Target store voted against unionizing after a long, protracted battle between union organizers and corporate operatives. Now, the union's filed an official challenge, alleging that Target broke the law.

The nation's No. 2 retailer directed employees to call the police if union representatives came to their homes, threatened them with reprisals if they supported the union, prevented them from communicating with each other about the union and told them the store would close if the drive succeeded, the petition contends.

Known union supporters were issued final warnings, workers were told they could be permanently replaced if the union came in, and employees' union activity was under surveillance, according to the filing.

The union wants a new election. Target says the last election was fair. We heard similar allegations from the union in the week leading up the vote—and Target certainly did fill the store in question with very visible company big shots just before the election and spew out reams of anti-union propaganda, like the sign in the break room pictured above (sent to us by an insider)—but we're not in a position to say whether they actually broke the law. But the workers at the store in question are. Are you one? Email me.